Audio Samples

Review

One wonders why a studio
would release a movie like K-19: The Widowmaker in theaters during the
summer blockbuster season. Although it's a tense, suspenseful thriller, K-19
is anything but typical summer fare. The story of a Russian nuclear sub on its
doomed maiden voyage during the height of the cold war would have been better
suited for release in the spring or the fall regardless of the name actors on
board, Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. Not surprisingly, the film died a quick
death at the box-office. This is not to say the film was bad - on the
contrary. Under the cool, sure-handed direction of Kathryn Bigelow and the
fine performances of its leads, it far surpassed my expectations.

Contributing to this somber
tale is Klaus Badelt's excellent score. Badelt, known for his work with Hans
Zimmer, conjures up the ghosts of the Russian composers of old. If, at times,
it seems like a stand-alone piece, that's because it is. His main suite for
the film is broken up into four movements. This piece was further broken down,
re-arranged, and edited into the movie. As such, when listening to the first
four tracks on the CD, it really does seem as if you're listening to a traditional
piece of classical music. While screen specific action cues are noticeably
absent, Badelt has opted to take another course, one of honest emotion to the
story's events and themes. If there's a misstep in the Suite (and the album as
a whole), it's the third part, "War". Sounding too much like a
typical Media Ventures brass-heavy, action cue, it sounds a bit out of place
with the rest of the music. It's understandable that the film would call for
such a cue; one simply wishes it didn't sound so similar to Badelt's past work
on films like Gladiator.

The 12-minute long "Journey"
is just that. Beginning with variations on the main theme, it segues into a
rousing and patriotic chorus accompanying the boat as it sets out to sea. The
grand seafaring music continues until the conflict between the two captains
becomes more pronounced. With faint traces of percussion in the background,
ominous brass and strings bring the tempo to a crawl as the tensions between
the two begin to grow and the seeds of distrust are planted. Dissonant
percussion ends the cue signaling the battle of wills that will come later.

Brief but effective, "Capt
Alexi Vostrikov" introduces us to Harrison Ford's character. It's mostly
Russian military brawn and appropriately suggests elephantine resolve. "Missile
Launch - Rescue" slowly builds up to a mild crescendo before segueing into
the main theme. This somewhat underwhelming action cue is appropriate for the
film because of its somber tone. As Capt Vostrikov pushes the crew to their
limits, the men live up to the test but their actions are devoid of any grand
heroics.

The real heroes of the film
are the ones who sacrifice themselves with quiet resolve. "Reactor"
is their cue, and it's based on selections from "Visions of Light".
This piece consists of cues originally composed by Richard Einhorn for the
silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc. Using it as a temp track, it
was re-arranged by Walter Murch during editing, and then re-recorded again by
Badelt. The result is haunting music that accompanies the courageous
crewmembers as they willingly expose themselves to high doses of radiation in
order to repair the sub's nuclear reactor. Beginning with the ominous tolling
of a distant bell, the piece segues into a solemn female choir. Not
surprisingly, it's a cue infused with a heavy dose of solemn dread and quiet
stoicism.

Without going for the
obvious, Badelt conveys the inner courage these men possessed in not only doing
their duty but also sacrificing themselves for the greater good. Although
imbued with fatalistic dread, there is an underlying current of hope and honor
in his score. These complex emotions aren't easy to convey, and, much to Badelt's
credit, he forgoes the easy surface simplicity and opts to delve much deeper.

If movies are seasonal, it would
be fair to say that some music is seasonal as well. There are certain types of
music that are just right for summertime listening and others which are better
suited for the dark days of fall. Badelt's score falls in the latter
category. He's composed an excellent score to a somber movie, and, as such, it
isn't necessarily great summertime listening. Wait another month before
popping it in your CD player. Highly recommended.